June is finally here which means school is out and your kids are running free until September. While this means freedom for your munchkins, it also means more work for you, filling the lunch-shaped hole left behind by those missing school lunches. An extra meal everyday is a lot to handle, but your kids deserve better than microwaved pizza and frozen chicken nuggets. Don’t panic, because making healthy delicious summer lunches doesn’t have to be a chore.But what’s even more interesting is that the Greek kids actually eat their vegetables, unlike the often discarded veggie cups in many American lunchrooms. “Here in Greece we eat vegetables as a main course, we cook all sorts of vegetables in olive oil and tomato. And then we eat this with bread and cheese, and it’s delicious. So, this summer take a page from the Greeks and try out these simple Mediterranean lunch options. Who knows, with recipes like this you might finally get your kids hooked on veggies before they head back to class.
The ingredients are easy to prep. And, although packed with protein from the quinoa and garbanzo beans, it’s vegan, which leaves me feeling fueled for the day without being weighed down. Have you guys seen the new Minute® Ready to Serve White & Red Quinoa? These individual portions of pre-cooked quinoa are perfect in this recipe; no cooking required!
Just borrow a page from Greece. American children aren’t exactly known for their love of vegetables, but that’s normal, right? Kids aren’t supposed to like broccoli, carrots, and brussel sprouts. In Greece, typical school lunches consist of 3-4 servings of vegetables, which sounds insane when compared to the U.S. National School Lunch Program’s meager 1-2 vegetable servings.
Top the salad greens with cold chicken, shrimp, steak, or whatever, and then toss in vegetables (cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, dark leafy greens). Whip up a dressing with olive oil, vinegar, and lemon. Serve with whole-wheat pita on the side. Try this: Build a meal around one protein (preferably fish), a vegetable, and starch. Grill the protein using olive oil, lemon juice, and oregano. Serve alongside steamed vegetables (spinach, broccoli, zucchini). Make sure your starch offers complex carbohydrates. Sweet potatoes, quinoa, or brown rice are all great options.
Skip the bleached white bread, and substitute it with a whole grain pita pocket instead. Ditch the fatty mayo for delicious hummus spread inside, then fill with roast turkey slices, baby spinach leaves and cucumber half-moons. Your kids will love the fresh taste of greens, and you’ll love watching them eat this nutrient-packed lunch.
Toss a can of ,aked tuna with half an avocado instead of mayonnaise, then add fresh parsley, chopped roasted red peppers from a jar, olive oil, and lemon juice. Scoop it on whole grain bread with some lettuce. Thursday: Pack a container of Greek yogurt along with some granola and chopped fresh fruit or berries for a DIY parfait. Add a handful of nuts for a snack. Friday: Make a simple whole grain pasta salad. Leftovers will pack nicely for weekend picnics.
At Nanoosh, we’re dedicated to good food that’s good for you, and easy to make meals for life on the go. Mediterranean food is the perfect recipe for simple, delicious meals packed with energy to keep you and your kids going this summer. So pack a Mediterranean lunch and get out there and enjoy the summer, because before you know it, your kids will be back in school and you’ll miss making all those “hectic” summer lunches more than you think.
What could be more fitting to begin our “Mediterranean Lunch” than an overture by Rossini! Joining us for lunch will be Steve Metcalf, freshly minted principal bass of the Colorado Symphony, performing the Koussevitzky Bass Concerto, a work performed 20 times in Italy by Koussevitzky himself. Gracing our table will be Puccini’s Chrysanthemums, followed by a delicious sampling of all Italy has to offer with Mendelssohn’s masterpiece, the “Italian” Symphony.
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